Shop bought or homemade weed killer

Giraffe76

Hi all,

​We are starting to see weeds coming through on our driveway and garden path between the slabs.

My wife has suggested I use a homemade solution but I wanted people's opinions on what homemade solution people have used which has been effected or whether people have found a shop bought product has been better and if so which one please?

Any recommendations on either option would be most appreciated

Kind regards mark 

MyRealNameToo

Depends on how concerned you are about carcinogens, how big an area it is, who's about etc.

Ours is tiny, only needs spraying 3 times a year and so I do so when no one else is about and stay up wind and use commercial stuff. Weeds take two weeks to show they are dead (they are effectively dead within minutes) and dont come back for a couple of months. Its not nice stuff but by all accounts a none issue as soon as its dry.

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6656529/shop-bought-or-homemade-weed-killer

Depends whether you want to stop the weeds coming up, or just kill the weeds you can see.

Preventing germination and emergence really needs a long-acting chemical and I don't know of any safe 'homemade' approach that really works on driveways and paths. Also the more effective chemical options are now banned. You'd probably be best purchasing a proprietary treatment which the manufacturer claims will work for as long as possible.

Something as simple as boiling water will kill weeds you can see, although needs to be used with due care. Any 'homemade' approach which is really effective is likely to have risks to the user, pets/wildlife, and the environment, and may be illegal.

subjecttocontract

Weedol.....mix one small phial with a litre of water in a small spray bottle. Two or three times a year does the job perfectly.

White vinegar or dishwasher salt is a good general weedkiller but not on paving as it might stain it.

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81895752#Comment_81895752

Weedol is a brand…. including several different weedkiller-type products.

WIAWSNB

Salt any good for this?

Albermarle

Last year I bought this for the first time.

Resolva 1L Xtra Fast Weedkiller | Sainsbury's ( available from many different outlets)

Not Glyphosate - the active ingredient is Pelagornic acid. Unlike Glyphosate it is not a systemic weedkiller, so I guess could struggle to really kill off some of the weeds with deep spreading roots. However for most weeds it works incredibly quickly, most are dead in 24 hours. Plus it breaks down in the soil.

Giraffe76

Thanks for everyones suggestions. You have definitely given me options to think about

Kind regards mark

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81895787#Comment_81895787

Salting the earth can be an option but you need to see what's close. Obviously its soluble and so whilst may start on the drive but could be washed into nearby borders etc and kill plants there too etc.

TELLIT01

Home made weedkiller will often be far more toxic and damaging to the soil and the beasties in it than the commercial stuff.

daveyjp

Glyphosate. Avoid the big brand names, amazon has plenty of choice at sensible money.